Spello: the infiorate of Corpus Domini are ready to start

English Version

by Benedetta Tintillini

This year too, as in every springtime, the works for the feast of Corpus Christi and the beautiful, fragrant and colorful procession of floral carpets of the Infiorata are beginning in Spello, tribute to the solemn procession of Corpus Christi, born as a demonstration of the religiosity of the territory. Around 1930 by the devotion of a woman in Spello the first carpets with fennel and broom were made, yellow and green colors of Mount Subasio and its fragrant and varied plants. As I write, through the open window, I get the smell of broom just blossomed. Since that first simple design and thanks to the intelligence of the Infioratori

(the people that works to design and realize the flower carpets), Spello became through times the capital city of the Infiorata. On that carpets scenes from the Old and New Testament are represented, and flowers become a fragrant brush that realizes amazing paintings as wonderful as ephemeral. Unlike other events anywhere else, in Spello the art of painting with flowers has reached a

spectacular degree. Thanks to the bright colors, fresh flowers techniques and innovations brought by the masters, results of infinite value may be achieved. But it is not only the technique that allows to realize this wonderful path that unfold through the streets of this city, but it’s the passion of those who decide to give body and soul to achieve those results. Old people turn back into kids to go and collect the flowers to create the carpets. The Infioratori prepare the flowers for months before the event sacrificing their evenings to realize the drawings that will turn into a living picture.

The rivalry between competing groups lights up, in the competition born near of the religious event, each one longing to win the prize, Propertius, symbol of victory, they could go to sleep embraced to the statue of victory the night after the awards ceremony, I swear I’m not kidding, we, the Infioratori, are a strange breed, and surely some little touch of madness must be entered mysteriously in our DNA to spend so much work to realize our dream. I have to be honest, however, to see that sketch, prepared by the masters in so much time, realized on the asphalt of this historic village makes us shiver, gives sensations never felt before. I invite everybody to visit us again this year, and rumors heard around make me sure that this year will give us as many masterpieces as that the past one.